Photograph by
Griffith and Griffith, founded 1896
Published by
Griffith and Griffith, founded 1896
Subject of
Unidentified Child or Children
Unidentified Man or Men
Date
1900
Medium
ink on paper (fiber product) with dye on cardboard
Dimensions
H x W (Image): 3 × 6 in. (7.6 × 15.2 cm)
H x W (Sheet): 3 1/8 × 3 1/8 in. (8 × 8 cm)
Description
A color half-tone print depicting a man and three children with a sliced watermelon on the ground. This stereo card consists of two identical side by side images. In the daytime, outside of a stone faced root cellar, a grey hatted man in a bright long sleeve shirt, dark vest and pants, stands bent over a boy with his proper right hand and leg near the child’s left ear. From left to right: a dark haired boy in a light blue shirt, looking up at the man behind him, holds a very large slice of black seeded watermelon in his lap. His legs are crossed at the ankles. Beside him, a boy with dark hair, wearing a bright long sleeve shirt, his head turned proper right to look at the man, sits with his arms on either side of a watermelon, sliced topside. In front of the top sliced melon lay four large quarter slices, one on its side, partially eaten. At the right corner of the image, a boy in a long sleeve yellow jacket and dark bottoms, on his hands and knees in a crawl, has his head turned proper right, his body partially blocking the view into the cellar. There is a combination of green foliage, yellow grass, and clumped dirt, all around the cellar. Below the right image card, printed on the sheet in bold English is: “I’se Gwine to Tan Yo’r Hide.” Copyright is also indicated for Griffith & Griffith.
Statement
Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
Place captured
United States, North and Central America
Classification
Racist and Stereotypical Objects
Photographs and Still Images
Type
relief halftones
stereographs
Topic
Caricature and cartoons
Foodways
Photography
Stereotypes
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Mark Miller and Barbara Smeltzer
Object number
2019.3.3
Restrictions & Rights
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd506c75d3c-c5f7-44e2-b9bd-0725c9daa748

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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